foraging and the unwelcome harvest

The sun is shining bright and the temps are rising...not unlike other parts of the country. But I remembered about all those juicy blackberries on the vine on my last bike ride. I had forgotten about them after I injured myself and hadn't been on a real ride in 3 weeks. Sadly, that season has passed but I gave it my best effort. I came across these two places on the way back from one of my foraging excursions. Someone's clothesline and really cool garden structure...and the other pic is of a large pond in someone's front yard, across the street from the other house.

I had seen this apple tree in a small, empty field. It is sandwiched between a new subdivision and an older one. Both are fenced and for whatever reason, this lone tree was secluded. I got really yummy apples from it last fall. This year they are falling off before they are ripe and they're not looking so hot. I was sad because I miss apples and was looking forward to these.

I collected the better looking ones for making vinegar. Crossing my fingers I can get it to work this time.

I also went in search of blueberries. Most are not ripe yet and when they are, the birds take off with them so I got a load of almost ripe ones. They are still really good.

This is my sad little picking of black berries. I was really looking forward to making black berry jam form them but there's not enough for one jar even.

In total, I got 2 lbs of apples, 1.5 ounces of blackberries and 1.5 lbs of blueberries.

My unwelcome harvest came from the blueberry picking...chigger bites.

So much better than last year. I had about 60-70 bites last year and only 20 this year which is making life much more bearable this go round. I can wear shoes and walk the dogs...it's not really hampering my daily life. They do get really swollen and itchy from time to time but it's not a constant. Thank goodness for small miracles. I am definitely counting my blessings on this one!

2nd try at vinegar

I found some apples in a field. They had already fallen off the tree and had lots of deformity and holes pecked in them. Also, being this early, they aren't ripe. But I decided they would be good for trying my hand again at making vinegar. This time, they're staying in my kitchen instead of the garage so I can keep an eye on them and not forget about them...at least until the smell gets too strong.

peanut butter filled cookies

Though Adam doesn't like chocolate cookies, I was craving some a few weeks back so I made some anyway. He wasn't excited about it but when he tasted it, he said they were good and has since requested them so I know this one is a keeper. :o)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup granulated sugar (plus more for rolling)

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup creamy peanut butter, divided

1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 egg

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together sugars, butter and 1/4 cup of peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and egg, beating to combine. Stir in the flour mixture and stir to combine, blending well. Set aside.

4. In a medium bowl, mix together powdered sugar and remaining 3/4 cup of peanut butter until smooth.

5. Pull off a heaping tablespoon of cookie dough and flatten with your hands. Take about 1 teaspoon of peanut butter mixture and place it in the center of the chocolate dough. Wrap the chocolate dough around the peanut butter center, pressing to seal. Roll the cookie into a ball and roll the cookie in the sugar. Place cookies on the prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart. Using the bottom of a glass, flatten each cookie to about a 1/2 inch thickness.6. Bake in preheated oven for 7 to 9 minutes. Let stand on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then remove to a wire rack.

garden progress

Last night, we went to the garden again to do another few rows of weeding. By the time we finish with the weeding, it will be time to start again. Lots of work. I have about 50 misquito bites on my arms from gardening and building the dog barn. I am getting sick of misquitos but I have to put up with it...there's no choice. Maybe I'll get smart enough to remember my long sleeved shirt next time.

We actually have blooms on some of the beans and the canteloupe plants. So exciting!

Here's the part we have to come back and weed.


This is the section we weeded last night.


This is the section we weeded last Thursday. I was happy to see that the weeds haven't completly taken over already.

It's like a real garden and I can't tell you how cool that is to me!!

forgotten park

Yesterday, I spent my lunch break at a forgotten park. It used to be beautifully maintained but in 2009, we had a lot of flooding and it was abandoned. The trails were covered in mud several inches thick and logs were strewn in various places. Trash had washed up all over as well. The trails are overgrown and the trash cans are past overflowing. It may not be as pristine as it used to be but I still enjoy taking a walk around the lake and eating while looking at the lake.

I thought it would be perfect to pick some blackberries to go with my lunch. Sadly, most are gone now. I only found three worth picking...although looking at this picture makes it look like I had more I could have picked.

This is on a jetty into the lake.

The patio where the table I eat at has what I call the secret garden. There are so many flowers (though they only seem to bloom one kind at a time. Today, it's the black-eyed susans, my favorite!

My lunch was homemade corned beef, with homemade sauerkraut on a homemade soaked bun....and three tiny foraged blackberries.

That's the picnic table below, overlooking the lake.

They have a guard driving by now and then and he knows my car. He used to come down and find me every time to see if anyone was up to mischief but he realized it was the same car over and over and no longer comes looking for me since I am not trouble.

building the dog barn

We had a project at wok that they needed some sheets of wood for. But they only needed them for a week. They were never nailed down to anything and aside from some concrete splashes, they were brand new. My boss wanted to throw them away so I claimed them. What to do with the wood?

We planned on beginning our morning early, getting to work by 9 to build a dog barn...Adam calls it a dog condo but I think it looks like a barn. The alarm went off bright and early so I would have time to cook breakfast, feed us and the dogs, get dressed and hang the laundry on the line before we got going. It was pouring rain so I turned it off but never really got back to sleep. Eventually, I got out of bed and did what I could inside. I had finished sewing my curtain panels and started on my valances. Around 11, it stopped raining and sometimes after that, we all went out to work.

I had to hang my laundry first though so I did that. On the other side of the fence is a big crepe myrtle. It's finally started blooming. I love those blooms. There was a breeze blowing through and it was nice and cool. So great!


Adam called his friend to see if he wanted to come over and help. He showed up just as I was walking toward the garage door after leaving the laundry part of the yard. So we had some help. James and I put in the foundation blocks and got them fairly level while Adam built the side walls. Then we discussed how to proceed from there.


The frame is almost complete here but there are a couple of things missing at this point.


We got the roof on, then James left. We let the dogs out to investigate it. None of the dogs like power tool sounds (well, Tucker doesn't seem to care too much since he was laying in it while we were using an impact screwdriver at one point. Poor Jack was shaking like a leaf while Adam was using the saw in the driveway...that's when I put them inside. The dogs were curious and anxious to all claim it.


It was funny to see them all running around...like they just got a new toy or something. Jack and Tucker have given it their seal of approval. Ihaven't caught anyone else using it yet though.


It's not finished yet. We'll be putting something on the roof to protect it some from the weather and I'd like to paint it but we'll see if that happens. There's also one more board to put on in the front top. Aside from that, it's done.


The footprint is about the size of a loveseat so it fits two dogs. As long as they really use it, we plan on building a second one so there's enough room for all the dogs. And we also have plans to build some kind of den/cave thing for Bear since that's what he likes. He currently lays under a propped up square of cement. When Barry redid the deck, he put this random square of cement under the stairs, not sure why. Bear wasn't sure why either since that's always been his favorite place to lay. So, I picked it up and propped it up temporarily but Bear decided he liked that tight place. 2 years later, it's starting to crack and I don't want it falling apart and crushing him so we're trying to figure out what to do to make a safe substitute for him that won't fall over.

The little red hen and other ramblings

We had this book growing up about a hen who made bread from scratch.

She went to the field and planted the wheat, she tended the wheat, she gathered it, she carried it to the mill and back and at each step she asked her "friends" if they would help her. No one ever did. No one helped her bake it either. But when it came time to eat it, they all magically appeared ready to eat. She didn't let them because they hadn't helped.

As a child, I was less interested in the moral of the story. I was more fascinated with everything she did and felt bad for her friends that they didn't get any bread. I thought the hen was a little mean even. But as I've experienced a little more of life and grown in knowledge, it reminds me of a quote by someone who I can't remember. I can't quote it exactly since I can't find it anywhere but I will paraphrase the best I can. "Our trials are our own and no one else can have the blessings we get from enduring our trials." We are blessed with trials to not only prepare us and refine us but to bless us also. Only through enduring can we receive those blessing our Heavenly Father wants to give us.

I was reminded of this little story because I was getting ready to make bread last night and I reached for the wheat flour, I realized I didn't have nearly enough. I was going to call Lanette and see if she had any I could have but then I remembered that I have a wheat grinder now. Barry and Lanette gave it to me. We also received a bunch of wheat (and other items) from a couple who were moving and didn't want to take their food storage with them. If anything, I am one of the friend's of the little red hen but in my case, I was blessed with the bread anyway, even though I didn't labor for it.

Financially things have been tough. In the last month, I've only spent $90 on food and I haven't felt deprived of anything...the milk seems to last longer, the meat stretches further, neighbors share their garden's produce...it all works out in the end. It's these kinds of things that have shown us that we are being looked after, that our Heavenly Father is mindful of us in our trials, as little as they may be compared to others' trials. How could I be unhappy with life when I have everything I need...and then some? No, I don't have everything I want, maybe someday I will, maybe I never will....but that's not something I have control over so I have given my worries (as best I can) over to the Lord and he takes care of me and comforts me. Life is good!